mdorn Loc: Portland, OR

Hey RRS, I just want to pause for a moment and change my tone a bit. I realize you didn't reply to me specifically, but I hope you don't mind one last comment from me.

Your 50 years of experience in the field of photography is far more valuable than anything I can offer. My background is computers and technology. In recent years the landscape of photography has been dramatically changed into combining tech with art. Like it or not, this is where we are. Having said this, I just want to say that I greatly respect and admire someone like you who has been doing this for so long. You've been in the trenches doing the real work while I've been playing with electronic toys. I haven't seen any of your work, but I'm pretty sure that it's superior to mine. I'm just a computer geek with a digital toy. I have very little artistic vision. Therefore, I humbly want to encourage you to keep sharing your experience with guys like me. It is very much appreciated. Keep doing what you love. Kindest regards, -Mark

RRS Loc: Not sure

The reply was for David Popham, not you! As for lazy, people hike and go out in all kinds of weather to capture an image and that's not being lazy but to come home and print or have it printed without any PP is what I call lazy only if they don't have a program to work with. However "Canon & Nikon" give you some software with a new camera. Enough on that! As I've said, it's been a learning curve and I am now comfortable not only with the advances in digital but also the computers too! With digital everyone can be a photographer but without the required skills on the computer your only half way there. CS5&CS6 are another story too. You have put some very good info, don't stop! Thanks again RRS

Shutter Bugger

Both are correct.

If you are a photo journalist, a photo should
portray reality, or at least the reality of the story.

If you are creating art or an advertisement the finished result could very well look
nothing like the image/s that was/were loaded to the computer from the camera.

Image by Koen Demuynck.

David Popham Loc: French Creek, British Columbia

Hi momma deb,
I'm one who without hesitation pleads guilty to be one "who takes a photo for what "I" can turn it into. Before becoming actively involved in photography I used to hammer copper and then enamel it. But before doing that I used do what others were doing. I asked a well respected artist and very good teacher in the visual arts to critique my work. He spent three hours with me (I only expected one) and he ripped my work apart. It was derivative and said nothing. For about a month I was devestated and then one day I read a paper on a related topic and I found my voice. My work sold. The lesson I learned was to carve out one's path of exploration on the topic one's choice and realy explore it.

And that is what I do with photography. My images are a reflection of my emotions, thoughts, ideas and opinions at the time I work on an image. And so when you see my images you see me. My camera and its lenses, and my image post-processing software are my new "hammers, stakes, sources of heat to create my vision in response to what I see around me.

And this is a prelude to one suggestion. Keep exploring ideas and decide what you want to do, not do what others want you to do.

And, of course, read all the stuff written by other hogs. The wealth of ideas and approaches is outstanding and can be an enormous help to achieving one's vision, even if one does not agree with some of the material that is posted.

David

Lee-1947 Loc: Missouri

I agree. Some pictures are so doctored up that they appear to be unnatural.

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

That's when they become art, and art is in the eye of the creator and the beholder.